Francis j



A April 26, 1932. F. .1. MUEHLSTEIN I 1,855,527

DUCK CALL Filed Feb. 27, 1932 r In?) enio'v W his Aiiorneys r Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES,

{PATENT l OFFICE rmncrs :r. MUEHLSTEIN, or s'r. IAUL, MINNESOTA Q DUCK oALL' Applicatiohlfiled awry 27, 1932'. Serial Nb. 595,525.

deflect and accentuate the sound; :Extreme- 1y few hunters, with devices commercially used at this time, are able to-calla flock of wild ducks down to their decoys.-

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple and highly efficient duck call wherein extensive experience and extraordinary skill are not required to produce-successful results and wherein as nearly as possible the functions of the ducks mouth, tongue and bill are reproduced. r i V More specifically, it is an object to provide an improved duck call wherein sound producing means are associated withiair actuateddeflecting means in such manner that when the, user blows the device to produce the requisite air pressure, a deceptive callis produced without the exercise of skillfulfinger. manipulationat the discharge.

With these objects in view and such others as will be apparent from the description, the V invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein corresponding parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views and wherein,

Fig. 1 is a side view of the duck call showing the normal position of the movable shell member in full lines and the operated position in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view a of the duck call; 5

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional; view oftheand i r Fig. 4 is a view showing the shape of the reed employed in the duck call.

7 Referring to the drawings, a casing 5 havexterior formed to resemble a ducks head. The casing 5 is formed at one end intoya mouth piece 6. Attheother end, a shell memher 7 shaped similarly tothe lower half of a duck call taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1

mg a cyl ndrically-shaped. interior, has an ducks bill, as shown, 'isrigidlyattached tow the casing=5 by means of screws 7a. 1 At this: same end, a second 'shell member 8 shapedsimilarly-to the upper half ofa ducks bill is swingably attached to the casing 5 by means ofscrews 8a. The shellmembers 7 and 8, as shown, are shaped and located in such a manner that the shell member 8 will engage with or overlapthe shell member 7 when the shell member 8 is at the inward limitof its 5 at the vend opposite the mouth piece 6. Within the sleeve 9,7a tubular member 10 havmg an outer portion lOaof reduced diameter is provided, said portion extending outward- Vly of the end of the casing 5 and beingadisposed between the shell members 7 and 8. At theouterend of the portion 10a of the member 10'is an upturned air deflecting lip 101),.

In the opposite end of the cylindrical member 10, two cooperating reed're'taining members 11' and 12, each having a semi-circular crosssection are frictionally engaged with the interior of said member 10. The retaining member 11 should preferably be of compressible material, such as cork. The outer end of the member 11 is substantially flush with the end of the tubular member 10 and the member;12 extends a substantial distance outward of the end of the cylindrical member 10. The member 12 has a longitudinal flat surface on the side adjacent member-"11. The said member 12 has anaxial passageway 12b extending from its forward end to a point movement. A sleeve 9, having a'flange 9a, is secured within 'theinterior' of the casing removed a short distance from its rearward supporting means, a portion 13b of reduced width located outward of the portion 13a, a

end. The longitudinal flat surface of said member is provided with a longitudinal channel 12a communicating wit-h the axial passage12b. v

A flat flexible reed 12 comprises a portion 13a at its-inner end for engagement with a portion 130 of full width located outward of the narrow portion 13b and a' portion 13d locatedoutward of the portion 130 and converging from full width at its inner endto a point at its outer end. The portion 13a of the reed 13 is firmly held between the members 11 and12 with the portions 135 130 and 13d extending outward along the longitudi nal flat surface of the projecting portion of the member 12, so as to: cover the channel 12a. The portions 130 and 13d of the reed 13 are curved slightly upward from the longitudinal flat surface of themember 12.

Operation 7 portion 10a of the cylindrical member 10,

' at which point the upturned lip 10?) deflects the stream of air upward against the inner side of the shell member '8, said shell memher 8 being raised bysaidstream of air.

The raising oftheshell member as the sound producing means is actuated, simulates the opening ofa ducks bill and very effectively assists in making the sound emitted closely resemble; the call of a duck. It is obvious that myduck call does not require the opening and closing of the fingers or hand over the discharge of the duck call and, hence, obviates the necessity for the user having ability. and skill insuch manipulation.

The device described has been made and used'and its accuracy and effectivenesshave been fully demonstrated. While I have shown the uppershellbr bill section 8 as hinged tothe tubular body 5, it will, ofcourse, be understood that either or both of said sections may be hinged and means may beprovided, gravity actuated or resiliently actuated for normally closing the shells together.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made. in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of the present invention.

"Whatis claimed is V Y or 1. In a duck call, a casing, an-air actuated sound producing means located within said casing, one portion of said casing apertured for directing the air discharge against said movable member, so as to produce movement of said member away from said air discharge.

2. In a duck call, a cylindrical casing, an air actuated sound producing means located within said casing, a mouth piece at one endof said'casing, an air exit at the other end of said casing, a shell swingably attached to said exit portiomsaid shell being shaped and located to close said exit when said shell is at the innerlimit of its movement and an air directing means to receive air which has passed through the soundyproducing means and direct said air against the inner surface of said shell to cause outward movement thereof. f i 3. In a duck call, a cylindrical casing, one end of said casing being formed into a mouth piece, a partition located within said casing, said partition being provided with an aper ture, an air actuated sound producing reed associated with said aperture, the end of said casing opposite said mouth piece being provided with two shells resembling the'upper andlower halves of a ducks bill, one of said shells being rigidly attached to said casing and the other of said shells being swingably attached atits inner portion to the end of said casing, said shells cooperating to close said end of the casing when the swingably attached shell is engaged with the rigidly attached shell, and an air deflecting member shaped to'receive air emitted from said aperture and direct said air against the inner su r face of said swinga-bly attached shell so as to cause outward movement ofsaid swingably attached shell. 7 V i 4:. In a duck call, a tubular casing provided with a mouth piece and a discharge, a pair of reed retaining members mounted within said casing, one of s'aidmembers projecting considerably beyond the other in the direction of said mouthpiece and having a longitudinal passage extending from a point adjacent its i rear end through itsforward end, said last mentioned member also having a lateral passage through one of its sides in communication with said longitudinal passage and a reed clamped between said retaining members and having a free end disposed above said lateral passage. 7

5.. Ina duck call, a tubular casing provided with a mouth piece and a discharge, a relatively short tubular member detachably secured within said tubular casing, a pair of reed retaining members frictionally mounted within said tubular member, one of said reed retaining members being constructed of comv pressib'le material and the other of said reed retaining members projecting considerably beyond said first mentioned member in the direction of said mouth piece and having a longitudinal passage extending from a point adjacent its rear end through 7 its forward end, said last mentioned member also having a lateral passage through one of its sides in communication with said longitudinal passage and a reed clamped between said retain- 7 ing members and having a free end disposed above said lateral passage. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FRANCIS J. MUEHLSTEIN. 

